After about thirty minutes or so they’d finished their meal. As Daniella straightened up in the kitchen, Tricia approached her with her purse slung over her shoulder.
“Alright, well, I’m going to head home.” She said. “I’ve got a meeting first thing in the morning.”
“Are you sure? You can stay if you want.”
“No, if I stay, I’ll just wind up being late.” Tricia replied. “Ugh, I don’t know what possessed me to take the damn promotion. Ever since I did I work like twice as hard as before and for only a six percent raise! Let that be a lesson to you. Sometimes when you grab for the brass ring, you wind up with handcuffs instead!”
Daniella laughed at her friend as she complained about her newfound responsibilities. A few seconds later, Tricia gathered up the rest of her belongings and started to walk towards the front door. Daniella came out of the kitchen and followed behind her.
“And you know what else?” Tricia asked as she stopped at the front door and turned back to face her.
“What?”
“The higher up you go, the lazier and dumber your coworkers become. I mean, it’s ridiculous.” Tricia reached down for the doorknob with her left hand. She placed her right hand on her hip and said, “There’s this guy, Bill Wittman. I shit you not… the guy has his secretary send all his e-mails for him.”
“Oh my God,” Daniella groaned. “Are you serious?”
“Sadly, yes…” Tricia replied. “Like, literally, every time he wants to send something out, she has to come in his office and do it. And he’s a freakin’ Vice President! Anyway, that’s just the tip of the iceberg… it’s ridiculous, really.”
Daniella nodded. “Yeah. Unbelievable is more like it.”
“Oh well, I’ll live. It’s not my problem he’s a complete bozo.” Tricia said as she repositioned her bag on her shoulder.
Daniella smiled as Tricia opened the door.
“So what are you are you up to this weekend?” Tricia asked. “Please tell me you are getting out and meeting people. If you say that you are going to be here ‘straightening up’ again, I’ll…” she said as she balled up her fist.
“Well…” Daniella replied as she winced. “My mom has been on my butt about me going out with some guy.”
“Who is he?” Tricia asked with a sudden eagerness in her tone.
“I don’t know much about him other than he is the son of a friend of hers.” Daniella began. “Anyway, I’m supposed to call her tonight and talk about it. That is, unless you really, really, really want to stay and then I’ll have an excuse. Anything I can do to change your mind? Please say yes.”
“Nope.” Tricia replied as she stepped out into the hallway. “Anyway, how bad could it possibly be?”
With her hand on the doorknob, Daniella stared at her friend. “Really? What if it was the other way around? What if your mom was fixing you up? Hmm, what would you say then?”
Tricia closed her mouth and puffed out her cheeks.
“Exactly,” Daniella replied. “Barf city… so you can see why I’m not exactly hitting speed dial to get the info from her.”
“Yeah, well, even so…” Tricia shrugged. “You never know. He could be a great catch.”
“Are we finished?” Daniella said as she raised her eyebrows.
“Yeah.” Tricia said. “Okay sweetie, well, good luck with all that. I’ll talk to you in a couple of days.”
“Okay,” Daniella replied as she smiled and hugged her friend. “Talk soon. Drive safe.”
“I will,” she replied as she exited the apartment. She reached the top of the stairwell and turned back. “Bye, love ya!”
“Bye, love you too…”
***
About twenty minutes after Tricia left, Daniella plopped down on the sofa and called her mom. Although it was late, this wasn’t a conversation she felt like putting off any longer.
“Hello?” Her mother, Marilyn, said as she answered.
“Hey, Mom.”
“Oh, hi honey.” Marilyn replied. “Are you and Tricia having a nice visit?”
“We did. She left already.”
“I thought she was staying over for the night.”
“She couldn’t… work stuff.”
“I see,” Marilyn replied. “Did you need something? I was about to go to bed.”
“Yes,” Daniella replied as she winced. She couldn’t believe she was doing this. But, it didn’t matter anyway because she knew her mom would bring it up sooner or later. At least this way, she could do it on her terms.
Well.
Maybe.
“Um, I was calling to find out about the guy you mentioned to me the other day.” Daniella began. “What’s his name, Babs’ son?”
“Oh…” she replied. Her voice raised several octaves at the implication. “Ohhhh, you mean, Harold?”
Harold. Of course his name is Harold. What else could it be?
“What did you want to know?” Her mother asked with an eager tone.
“I don’t know…” Daniella replied. “Whatever. I mean, you’ve been bugging me to call him for two weeks now.”
“Well, it’s a good idea you get out there and mingle with people your own age.” Her mother said. “You’ve been putting in a lot of hours at your new job, which is understandable. Even so, being cooped up and feeling sorry for yourself is no way to live.”
“I am not feeling sorry for myself, Mom. I’ve just been busy.” Daniella replied as she fidgeted with a lock of her hair. “Anyway, so Harold is around my age?”
“No, he’s about ten years older than you.”
“Uh, Mom!” Daniella exclaimed. “I don’t want to go out with someone that much older than I am. You just said for me to mingle with people my own age!”
“Now honey, Harold is very sweet.” Marilyn began. “I don’t think the age gap is that big of a deal. Women mature faster than men do anyway. It’s fine. Babs is just a little frustrated with him at the moment. You know, because he’s still living at home.”
“Oh, okay, great Mom. Anything else or should I just hang up now?”
“Don’t sass me, Daniella. Harold is a bit of a late bloomer, that’s all.”
Daniella rolled her eyes. Just what she needed, a mama’s boy.
“He’s an accountant, never married…” Her mother continued. “What else? Oh! He has a m-o-t-o-r-cycle. That should excite you! I know how much you like the dangerous types. Of course, I would prefer it if you didn’t ride those death traps at all but when’s the last time you ever listened to me about things like that? Really Daniella, after all this time you should at least consider what I have to say. Nothing good ever comes of your obsession with dating bad men. At least if you go on a date with Harold, you won’t wind up with police cars following you everywhere you go!”
Daniella raised an air pistol to her temple and placed a twitchy finger on the trigger.
“Oh! I almost forgot… He’s…” Marilyn began. “It’s not so much that you’d notice mind you… but he’s… just ever so slightly… losing his hair.”
“So he’s bald?”
“No, not bald.” Her mother replied. “He’s balding…”
“But he will be bald?”
“At some point, yes, he will dear. But that’s a long way off from now.” Her mother said in the most reassuring tone she could muster. “A couple of years, at least.”
“Good Lord…” Daniella groaned into the receiver. “What does he look like? Is he somewhat cute?”
“Babs thinks so, yes.”
“Mom.”
“Well, now, Daniella, what is good looking to one person may not be another’s cup of tea.”
“Mom, before I jump out the window, can you at least describe him a little?”
“Oh Daniella, don’t be so dramatic,” her mother began. “Well, if you were to ask Babs of course you’d think he was the best looking man anywhere. But what else would you expect? Oh my, mothers and their sons. I am so thankful I never had a boy. Nothing but trouble, let me tell you. But the way things are going with you at the moment, I’m beginning to wonder.”
“Mother…”
“Yes, dear?”
“Can you tell me anything about what he looks like? Please…”
“Hmm, well, he’s very active.” Marilyn began. “Well, I mean he’s active now. Babs tells me he’s started exercising with a weight set. With being an accountant all these years, he’s put on a little spare tire.”
Daniella lowered her forehead into her palm. She shook it in slow disbelief as Marilyn continued.
“So he’s fat?” Daniella asked.
“Uhhm…” Her mother replied. “Well, Babs tells me he’s making great progress. She says she hardly notices his man boobs anymore.”
“Oh my God…” Daniella whispered as she moved the receiver away from her mouth. After a deep breath she continued, “Okay Mom, so your idea of me meeting new people is, for starters, going out with a man ten years older than I am. Never mind the fact that he’s an accountant, who lives at home with his mother, is bald and has breasts. Am I pretty much in the ballpark on this one?”
“Balding… Daniella… not bald.”
“Whatever Mom!”
“You need to meet a nice guy, Daniella.” Her mother said as she exhaled. “Someone that is steady, reliable, dependable and will treat you like a queen.”
Daniella knew that her mother had her best interests at heart but all she heard when she talked about him was boring, boring, boring!
“Would you rather discuss your track record in this area of your life?” Marilyn said. “Maybe a peek out of your kitchen window would refresh your memory about your skills in that regard?”
“No. I wouldn’t like to discuss it and no, I don’t need to peek out my window, thank you.”
“So? Are you going to meet him or not?”
Daniella was all too aware when her mother wanted something from her she could be relentless. Even worse, were situations like this where she wanted to ‘help’. So against her wishes, not to mention her better judgment, Daniella capitulated.
“Fine…” Daniella sighed. “Give him my number.”
“Oh, wonderful!” Her mother exclaimed. “I’ll let him know that you’re free Saturday night.”
“Mom…” Daniella moaned. “Saturday night? Really?”
“Do you have something else going on instead? Don’t lie to me, Daniella.”
“No. I don’t. Okay. Saturday night.” She said. “Do me a favor though, Mom…”
“What’s that honey?”
“Please don’t tell him I’m free on Saturday.” She begged. “If you are going to insist that I do this, please give me the choice to not seem desperate. Can you do that much for me?”
“Of course, sweetie. I won’t mention a word about it.”
As Daniella hung up the phone, she got up from the couch and dragged herself into the bedroom. She flopped down on the mattress and stared up at the ceiling. After several seconds she returned the air pistol to her temple and fired.
***
When the alarm on her cell phone sounded the next morning, Daniella hit the snooze. The universe owed her five more minutes and she would have it. But just as she was about to doze back off, the memory of her rendezvous with Harold the Accountant returned to her awareness.
“Kill me now…” she moaned into her pillow.
With that image ingrained in her mind, any notion of sleep disappeared. She rolled over and tossed the covers aside. As she swung her feet over the edge of the bed, she knew that tomorrow at last, the end of the workweek would at last arrive. And not a moment too soon either. Thirty minutes later she walked into her kitchen to eat breakfast and get lunch ready for the day.
“Stupid dishes…” she grumbled as she walked over to the kitchen sink. Even though they were the last thing she wanted to do, she knew that if she didn’t, they’d stink up the whole apartment by the time she came home. With reluctance, she picked up the sponge and dish soap and got to work.
For several seconds, she scrubbed and stared out the window. Pine Hill was a pretty area and she did love the location of her new place. After all, one of the main reasons she picked it in the first place was for the view. Of course, since she’d moved in, the ever present patrol car parked across the street ruined the scenery.
Daniella placed a freshly cleaned plate down and then picked up a dirty glass when something caused her to do a double take. She leaned over the sink, squinted and looked up and down the entire length of the street across from her apartment. She toweled her hands dry and walked around to the living room to get a better look.
As she pulled open the curtains, she looked yet again. To her disbelief, there wasn’t a patrol car anywhere in sight. For the first time since she’d moved to Pine Hill, she wasn’t under surveillance. At once her mind jumped to conclusions as to the meaning. Unless the morning shift was late or at the donut shop, there could only be one reason…
Jett was in custody.
“Shit!” Daniella exclaimed as her awareness returned. She looked at her cell phone. “Late already…”
She gathered up her things and hurried out to her car.
On the way to work, she turned on the local news station. She was certain that if Jett was under arrest, it would be all over the place. But after a fifteen minute drive in, there was no mention of it all. The only thing left to conclude, if they did have him, was the police weren’t releasing any information about the case until it was time.
Even so, Daniella’s mind raced with endless scenarios not the least of which was Jett shot by them on a back country road. The very idea of it made her feel ill but now was not the time to worry about it. If they had him, everyone would find out before long. She hoped that when the facts did emerge, she’d be spared any mention of being involved. No one at her new job had a clue she was a part of it and she prayed it would stay that way.
***
Early in her life, Daniella knew she loved children. She always assumed she would have kids of her own someday, of course, but she also had a deep need to help those less fortunate. And that’s the main reason she wound up at the largest children’s charity within five hundred miles. The organization, known as Miracle Kids Foundation, provided medical care to children that otherwise didn’t have the means. More often than not, this meant orphans, the poor or those with life threatening illnesses which resulted in extreme financial hardship.
The work challenged her and that was a good thing. It provided a much needed distraction from her current situation but also, gave her a sense of control and direction she lacked elsewhere. Today was the end of her first month in her new position. She was up for review soon and more than anything, she wanted to make certain she didn’t blow it.
As she arrived at the office one her coworkers, Candi, greeted her. As luck would have it, the two of them and another woman were at the end of a three week long project. They were in charge of a new fund raising event for kids with juvenile diabetes. Even though the finish line for the project was in sight, there still seemed to be an endless list of items to check off their list.
“Hey…” Daniella said as she hurried to her desk. “Sorry I’m late.”
“That’s okay,” Candi replied as she smiled. “There’s a first time for everything.”
Candi Dillon was a short, cute brunette with curves in all the right places and men everywhere interested in grabbing them. But as cute as she was, she was also smart and no pushover when it came to dealing with affairs of the heart.
“Thanks,” Daniella groaned. “Crazy morning… Where are we with the caterers? Did we get the ice sculpture problem worked out?”
“That, I couldn’t say,” Candi replied. “I think Victoria was handling that.”
“Where is she?” Daniella asked. “Oh, that reminds me that we needed to check and see about doubling the space for the banquet hall.”
As if being the new girl wasn’t enough, her boss gave Daniella the job of lead coordinator on the project. Stressed wasn’t an adequate enough term to describe her mental state at the moment.
“Hang on, let me try her cell.” Candi said.
While Candi tried to track down Victoria, Daniella scanned her desk for the folder which contained her to-do list for all the details of the event. It wasn’t there. She had no clue what she did with it. It was in her bag when she left the house so it had to be around somewhere. But after a few minutes of searching, there was still no sign of it.
“She’s not answering…” Candi said as she hung up the phone.
Daniella turned to her. “Um, okay. Hey, I have to run back out to my car. The folder… I dropped it somewhere.”
Candi’s eyes widened. “Well, get going!” She exclaimed.
Less than a minute later, Daniella stood at the bank of elevators and tapped her foot.
“Come on, come on…” she groaned.
At last, the doors opened and in front of her stood Victoria Daly. She was a tall, thin, natural redhead unfairly endowed in all the right spots.
“Hi…” Daniella said as she rushed past her. “I’ll be right back. I have to run out to my car for a minute.”
Victoria’s hazel eyes flashed at Daniella as she walked out of the elevator. “Oh yeah?” She said as the doors started to close. From behind her back, she produced a large manila folder.
“Looking for this?” She asked as she swished it back and forth in front of her face.
“Hey!” Daniella shouted. She reached down and fumbled around for the button to open the doors. After a couple of seconds, they swung open, she emerged and went to grasp at the folder.
“Ah, ah!” Victoria scolded as she snatched it from her grasp. “Not unless you agree to come out with Candi and me for happy hour tonight.”
Since the first day she came to work there, Candi and Victoria bugged Daniella to go out with them. But because of all the craziness with Jett, she’d resisted. However, given the events of earlier in the day, an evening out with some new friends for a few hours could be just what she needed.
Daniella sighed. “Fine.”
“Great!” Victoria chirped. She handed the folder to Daniella. “Here you go.”
As the pair walked back towards Daniella’s office, Victoria asked, “Are you dating anyone right now?”
Daniella shook her head. “No, why?”
“Oh I’ve got this friend who would be great for you.” She replied. “His name is Marlon. I’ll give him a call this afternoon.”
“Oh I…” Daniella stammered. “I’m not sure if I’m feeling up for that. Maybe another time?”
“Nonsense.” Victoria replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. “You two will hit it off. You’ll thank me for it; you’ll see.”
Daniella wondered if she had a sign around her neck that others saw but remained invisible to her. Did she look desperate? What was with everyone? But just as she was about to drift away into an endless self-dialog, Victoria interrupted her train of thought.
“Hey, were you guys looking for me a minute ago?”
“Oh yes,” Daniella began. “Did we get the banquet space worked out?”
“Hmm,” Victoria said. “I’ll call over there and find out. I’ll send you an e-mail about it once I know for sure. Sound good?”
“Yes.” Daniella replied. “You’re the best, Victoria.”
***
Daniella, Candi and Victoria arrived at the Tattlin’ Turtle about halfway through happy hour. Daniella was never a fan of the bar scene. It was fine for others, of course, it wasn’t something she enjoyed herself.
“Packed already!” Candi exclaimed as they walked inside the bar.
The women scanned the room for a place to sit when Daniella noticed three seats at the bar.
“Hey,” she said as she tapped Victoria on the shoulder and pointed in the direction of the bar stools. “Over there…”
Victoria nodded and the women made their way to the vacant seats. As they arrived, Candi said, “I am going to the ladies’ room. Anyone want to come with me?”
“I’ll go,” Victoria replied but before she left she motioned to the bartender.
He nodded in their direction and raised his index finger. “One sec, Vic.” He replied.
She smiled at him and leaned in towards Daniella. “When he comes over, tell him that Candi and I want our usual.”
“Alright,” Daniella replied.
A few seconds after the women disappeared to the restroom, the bartender approached. As he walked over, Daniella realized she had to get out more often if the guys around Pine Hill looked like him. Tall and muscular, he sported deep dimples and ocean blue eyes to match.
“What’ll it be?” He said as he leaned in towards her.
“Oh, um,” Daniella began as she fidgeted with the cocktail menu. “Well, my friends said they want their usual and I’ll have a glass of Merlot.”
“You got it.” He said as he wiped the bar with a towel. “Anything to eat?”
“Um, not for me right now.” She said. “I don’t know if they are hungry or not.”
“No problem, I’ll bring menus over for you.” He said with a smile.
As he turned to walk away, she peered over the edge of the bar to get a peek at him from behind.
It was worth it.
A couple of minutes later, he returned with the cocktails and menus.
“Here you go.”
“Thanks,” Daniella replied. She turned in the direction of the bathroom and said, “I don’t know what they are doing in there. I’m sure they’ll be back any second.”
“No worries. Do you want to start a tab or…”
“Oh,” Daniella said. “Yes, that sounds good.”
She reached down into her purse and grabbed a credit card.
“Here,” she said, “put it on this.”
“Great,” he replied as he looked at the card. “Daniella Tanner, eh?”
She took an awkward sip of wine from the glass. “Yep.”
“Funny, I don’t remember seeing you in here before. You friends with those two troublemakers?”
“Yes, well, sort of. We work together.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah, they’ve been asking me to come out and have drinks with them for a while now.” She began. “Victoria also told me that there’s someone she’d like for me to meet.” Daniella paused and scanned the room to see if anyone happened to be staring in her direction. The bartender opened his mouth to reply but before he uttered a single syllable, she picked up where she left a moment earlier.
“I mean, I don’t normally do like, blind dates or whatever, but she says there’s this guy Marlon that’s really great. But it seems like everyone is trying to set me up right now. I don’t know why. It’s not like I’m desperate or anything. It’s okay to be single. Right? I mean, what’s the big deal? Besides, with my luck, he’s probably a playboy bar fly that…”
As she babbled, she noticed his eyebrows narrow into confusion.
Oh God… Shut up, Daniella. Shut up, shut up, shut up!!!!
Daniella fell silent. “Sorry.” She said with a sheepish grin.
The bartender shrugged. “Hey that’s okay, that’s what I’m here for,” he replied. “What makes you say that about this Marlon guy? Being a playboy bar fly and such…”
“I don’t know. Nothing I guess. I was rambling really.” She said. “In truth, he’s probably a sweet guy with glasses and an under bite. With my luck, he’s a coffee filter salesman with five kids and two moms to support.”
“Wow, sounds like Victoria can pick ‘em, eh?” He said as he leaned away from her.
Daniella shrugged, “I…”
But before she could get another word out, Victoria’s voice called out from behind her. “Marlon, sweetie!”
Daniella’s head moved on a swivel. She looked left, then right but as Victoria approached, her friend leaned across the bar and hugged the very man Daniella confessed to moments earlier. She lowered her head into her hand and massaged her temple. Daniella wasn’t certain if it was possible to feel any dumber than she did at that moment.
“No glasses, no under bite, no kids…” he said with a wink.
“Oh, I… um,” Daniella stammered. “I am so embarrassed.”
Victoria turned to look at her. “What’s going on here? Hey, did you two meet already?”
“More or less,” he chuckled. He extended his hand in Daniella’s direction. “Marlon… pleasure to meet you.”
“Hi,” Daniella replied with an awkward smile. “I’m sure that’s not true but you’re sweet for saying it.”
“Bah, don’t worry about it.” He said. “Excuse me for a second.”
Mercifully he turned and walked away.
Candi walked up and joined the group. As she did, Victoria leaned in to Daniella and said, “What did you say?”
“Nothing… Ugh, everything.” Daniella replied as she threw back a healthy slug of wine. “I am so mortified. I’m gonna go.”
“What?” Victoria said. “Go? Why? We just got here!”
“I’m sorry.” Daniella said. “Maybe another time…”
“Honey, wait…” Candi replied. She turned to Victoria and said, “What happened? We were only in the bathroom for a few minutes.”
“I don’t know!” Victoria exclaimed.
After another minute of awkward discussion, Daniella made a hasty retreat. As she exited the bar, she felt terrible about it all but she just wasn’t ready. She moved quickly across the parking lot with her head down and purse slung across her shoulder.
“Hey!” A voice called out.
She didn’t bother to turn around.
“Daniella Tanner! Wait!” the voice called out once more.
She stopped and turned. As she looked, she saw Marlon approach with something in his hand. He walked up and extended it towards her. In it, was her credit card.
“Drinks are on the house…” he said.
“Oh,” Daniella replied as she pulled a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Thanks.”
“Are you sure you have to go?” He asked. “I just got off my shift. Buy you a drink?”
“No, I… I don’t think so.”
“Ah, come on now. Don’t worry about all that. Tell you what… I know you feel terrible about it.” He paused for a moment and cracked a sly smile. “It was a terrible thing, of course. Why don’t you make it up to me and buy me a drink instead?”
Daniella chuckled. He was cute. And charming. And not a coffee filter salesman with an under bite. And she really could use the company.
“Okay,” she replied. “One drink.”
The two of them went back inside and joined up with her friends. Within a few minutes, she was already happy she’d made the decision to stay. A couple of hours later, one drink turned into two which turned into three. With little food in her stomach, Daniella started to feel the effects as it came time for her to head home.
“Whoa…” she said as she stood from the table.
“Hey,” Marlon replied as he got up and grabbed her arm. “You, uh, okay?”
“I don’t know…” she replied. “A little tipsy, maybe.”
“I’d say a lot more than a little!” Candi snorted.
“Hey…” Daniella said as she grabbed at her right earlobe. “You guys, do you see my earring lying around anywhere?”
For a good minute, everyone scoured the area around the table but they soon abandoned the search when it didn’t materialize.
“I’m sure it’ll turn up,” Marlon said.
“Dang,” Daniella replied. “I love these earrings. I hope so. You’ll keep it for me if you find it, won’t you?”
“Yep.” He replied. He gestured towards the exit and said, “You need a lift home?”
“No, I…” Daniella began.
“Yes, she does. Thank you Marlon.” Victoria interrupted.
After a bit of protest, Daniella agreed and several minutes later she and Marlon prepared to leave. She hugged Candi and Victoria amid warnings to behave herself.
As they walked to the parking lot, Daniella asked, “Are we taking my car or yours?”
“Oh we’ll take your car. My brother has mine.” He replied. “Instead of picking me up here, he’ll meet us at your place once I text him the address.”
“Oh, okay.”
Even though Daniella drank more than she ordinarily would, she managed to not embarrass herself anymore that evening. As they drove back to her place, the pair made a bit more small talk.
“So…” Marlon said as the pulled into the parking lot of her apartment building. “Any interest in going out with me sometime?”
“Yes,” Daniella replied. “But, things are crazy for me right now. Maybe after they settle down a bit?”
“Sure,” Marlon replied as he switched off the engine. “I understand. Look, if you have a boyfriend or whatever, let me know. I won’t bother you.”
“No,” she said. “It’s not like that… It’s just… It’s complicated.”
“No problem.” He replied as he handed her the keys. “You know where to find me. Anytime you want, drop by the bar and drinks are on me.”
She smiled. “Thank you, Marlon.”
As they got out of the car, Marlon’s brother pulled up.
“My ride’s here.” Marlon said as he gestured in the direction of his brother’s car. “Want me to walk you up to your place?”
“No, thank you. That’s very sweet of you though.”
“Okay, don’t let that get around now. If everyone knew what a softie I was, it could create problems for me.”
Daniella smiled. “I understand. Don’t worry…” she said as she made a zipper motion across her lips. “Your secret is safe with me.”
A few seconds later, Marlon jumped in his brother’s car and drove away.
***